Evaluation of Southern Soft Red Winter Wheat Lines for Resistance to Fusarium Head Blight.

Evaluation of Southern Soft Red Winter Wheat Lines for Resistance to Fusarium Head Blight

Amanda L. Holder, R. Esten Mason, and David E. Moon

University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR

Fusarium head blight (FHB) is a disease of small grains caused by the fungal pathogen Fusarium graminearum (telomorph: Gibberella zeae).  FHB poses potential economic losses and health risks due to the accumulation of the mycotoxin deoxynivalenol (DON) on infected seed heads. The objectives of this study are; 1) Evaluate soft red winter wheat lines for resistance to FHB in terms of resistance to initial inoculum (incidence); resistance to spread within the head (severity); resistance to DON accumulation; and resistance to Fusarium damaged kernels (FDK), and 2) determine the frequency and effect of known FHB resistance genes and quantitative trait loci (QTL). In 2014-2015, 160 soft red winter wheat breeding lines were evaluated in inoculated misted FHB nurseries in Fayetteville and Newport, AR in a randomized complete block design. At both locations, lines were sown in two row plots, inoculated with F. graminearum infected corn (Zea mays L.) and overhead misted for a total of 480 and 720 minutes, for Fayetteville and Newport, respectively, throughout the months of April and May to provide optimal conditions for FHB infection. In addition to visual ratings and DON analysis, lines are currently being screened with molecular markers linked to known FHB resistance genes and recently identified QTL for native resistance in SRWW. The overall goal of this research is to produce marketable lines of wheat with improved resistance to FHB using a combination of both traditional and molecular breeding methods.